Electric alarm attachment for clocks.



PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908.

C. GOLDSMITH. ELECTRIC ALARM ATTACHMENT FOR CLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-15. 1907.

2 SHBBTS-SHEET 1.

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HIE-NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON, uv c.

No. 877,501.. PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908. 0. GOLDSMITH.

ELECTRIC-ALARM ATTACHMENT FOR CLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.15, 1907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES GOLDSMITH, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FIFTH TO CESAREPINELLI, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

ELECTRIC ALARM ATTACHMENT FOR CLOCKS.

Application filed January 15 1907. Serial No. 352.472.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that CHARLES GOLDSMITH, a citizen of Italy, residing atDenver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, U. S. A., hasinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric AlarmAttachments for Clocks, and he does hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to signaling devices, and has for an object toprovide improved means for sounding alarms at predetermined times atvarious stations.

A further object of the invention is to provide means especially adaptedfor use in hotels and similar situations embodying a signal in each roomwith mechanical means of improved form operated by clock-work mechanismfor sounding an alarm in either of said rooms at a time previouslydetermined.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a clock-work operatedmechanism improved means for setting a pointer to a predetermined time,and with further improved means for engaging said pointer to produce anelectrical contact.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a device of the classimproved means whereby the circuit to either of the signals may bebroken, and to remain broken until connection is again manually made.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a device of the classcylinders carrying numerals indicating the hours of the day togetherwith pointers rotatable and adjustable about the said cylinder forclosing a signal circuit, and improved means for association with saidcylinder for accurately positioning the pointer.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises certainother novel combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts, aswill be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a view of the rotating cylinder in sideelevation with signals and signal circuits shown diagrammaticallyconnected therewith. Fig. 2 is a vertical, transverse, sectional view ofthe improved cylinder and taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aperspective, detail view of the spring contact brushes together withSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1908.

means for manually sounding a signal, and means for breaking the circuitwhen it is not desired to operate said signal. Fig. 4 is a vertical,longitudinal, sectional view of the rotating cylinders taken on a planecoincident with line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5is a view in side elevation ofa band encircling one-half of the rotating cylinders and carryingpointers. Fig. 6 is a view of the encircling semi-circle shown in Fig.5, and seen in edge elevation. Fig. 7 is a view in side elevation ofmeans for association with the rotating cylinders for accuratelypositioning the pointers carried by the band shown in Figs. 5 and 6.Fig. 8 is a view in edge elevation of a fragment of the lower end of theadjusting means seen at Fig. 7, and taken along arrow 8. Fig. 9 is aview in top plan of the associated contact springs. Fig. 10 is a view ofeither one of the contact springs taken in side elevation.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

The device forming the subject-matter of this invention comprises aframe 11 through which is journaled a shaft 12, adapted to be connectedin any approved manner with an operating clock and to be rotated by thesaid clock once each hour, the said frame 11 being secured at any pointin association with or adjacent to the clock actuating mechanism.

Within the frame 11 is ournaled a shaft 13 upon which is mounted one ormore cylinders indicated as a whole at 141, and preferably spaced apartas indicated at 15 upon opposite sides of the shaft 12. The shaft 12 ispro vided with a worm 16 adjacent the shaft 13, and the shaft 13 isprovided with a gear 17 rigid therewith, and intergeared with andreceiving motion from the worm 16. It will be noted that the shaft 12being connected with the clock-work mechanism and rotating once eachhour, the gear 1 7 is provided with twentyfour cogs so that the gear 17and the shaft 13 are rotated once each twenty-four hours. The cylinderor cylinders 14 being also rigidly secured to the shaft 13 are rotatedtherewith once in every twenty-four hours and are provided about theirperipheries with circumferential furrows 18 formed dove-tailed asplainly indicated in Fig. 4, and defining between the furrows 18 columns19, upon which are displayed 24 numerals, from 1 to 12 inclusive, andrepeated, preferably employing light faced numerals to indicate thehours from 1 which the pointer is to be moved is upon the a. m. to 12noon, and heavy faced numerals to indicate the hours from 1 p. m. to 12midnight.

Within the furrows 18 are mounted semicircular bands 20 having flanges21 upon opposite sides engaging within the grooves or dovetails of thefurrows 18, so that the said bands are retained therein by the saidflanges and the formation of the said grooves. Adjacent one end thesemi-band 20 is provided with a contact pointer 22 spaced from theperipheral surface of the cylinders 14, and extending laterally over andabove the column 19 to indicate any one of the figures displayed in saidcolumn, to which the said pointer may be moved. Adjacent the oppositeend of the semi-band 20 is provided a pointer 23 which said pointer 23is preferably of non-conducting material, or, as shown, is preferablyspaced nearer to the periphery of the cylinders 14 than the pointer22,or is made shorter in lateral length than the pointer 22, asparticularly shown at 23 in Fig. 1.

At any convenient point upon the frame 11 are rigidly secured aplurality of pairs of contact springs 24 and 25, mounted slightly spacedand insulated from each other and provided at their free ends withcontact points 26 and 27, respectively, in position to be engaged andspanned by the pointer 22 when rotated to the position occupied by suchcontact points. The contact springs 24 and 25 are respectively providedwith binding posts 28 and 29, to which are respectively connectedcircuit wires 30 and 31, the former of which is in circuit with a sourceof electrical energy, shown diagrammatically as the battery 32, and withone of the signals shown conventionally as the electric bell 33.

It will be understood that a pair of contact springs 24 and 25 and theirassociated bind mg posts are provided for each of the columns 9 employedupon the cylinders 14, and that the signals, as 33, are employed in likenumber, all of which are in circuit with the wire 30, while one of thewires 31 extend from each of the binding posts 29 to and incircuit withone of the signals 33. The semi-band 20 is also provided with struck-upresilient portions 34, which yieldingly engage the sides of the furrows18 and prevent accidental dis placement of the band within the furrows.

When it is desired to set the device to sound an alarm at either of thesignals 33 the semi-band 20, whose pointer extends laterally above thecolumn bearing the same number as the signal to be s0unded, is moved sothat the said pointer 22 indicates the hour at which the alarm is to besounded. The pointer 22 is moved by moving the semiands 20circumferentially about the cylinders within the groove 18 until thepointer 23 is properly positioned. If the numeral to side of thecylinder opposite the operator,

then the position of said pointer 22 is determined by the pointer 23which occupies the same numerical position upon the opposite side of thecylinder. As an example, if the signal 6 is to be sounded at 10:30 a.m., then the pointer 22 is positioned by moving the circumferential banduntil the pointer 23 in dicates the middle of the space occupied by thehour of 10 m., the hour 10 a. m. being upon the back of the cylinderwhen the cylinder is positioned as shown in Fig. 1. If the signal 3 isto be sounded at 3:30 a. 1n. the pointer 22 is set as indicated in thecolumn 3 in Fig. 1, intermediate the limiting lines inclosing the hour3. When the cylinders 14 rotate so that the contact 22 spans the interval between the contact points 26 and 27, then the signal electricallyconnected with the said contact points is in circuit with the source ofelectrical energy 32, and the signal is sounded.

To permit a manual sounding of the signal a strip 35 is mounted at anyconvenient point adjacent the contact springs 24 and 25, and a series ofplungers 36 inserted through a portion of the frame 11 and the strip 35.The plungers 36 are referably provided at their outer ends with rnobs orheads 37 and at their inner ends with T-heads 38 roportioned to span theinterval and ma e contact between the contact springs 24 and 25, and aspring 39 is provided which normally holds the T-head 38 out of suchcontact. When it is desired, therefore, to manually sound one of thesignals, the knob 37 adj acent the numeral corresponding with thenumeral of the signal to be sounded, is pushed inwardly until the T-headcontacts with the contact springs 24 and 25, which completes the circuitand the signal is sounded.

When it is desired to throw the signals at either of the stations out ofoperation, as for instance, when one of the rooms at the hotel isvacant, or no call is left, then a plunger 40 is employed extending alsothrough the frame 11 and strip 35 and having its inner end engage one ofthe said contact springs, as the spring 25. The plungers 40 are providedupon their outer ends with knobs 44 by which the said plungers may bemanipulated and operate within the frame 11 or strip 35, with sufficientfriction to prevent a return of the plunger under the resilient actionof the spring or other means for retaining may be employed so that whenone of the knobs 41 are pushed inwardly, one of the contact springs isthrown out of operative position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,and the contact pointer 22 in rotating does not form electricalconnection between the contact points 26 and 27.

It will be noted that the pointer contact 22 may be set with areasonable degree of accuracy by a simple reference to the lines formedtransversely of the column 19 and inclosing the numerals. When, however,it is desired to set the contact pointer with absolute certainty to afraction of an hour, an instrument, such as shown at Figs. 7 and 8, isemployed provided with a plate 42 formed with a segmental scale, as at43, employing numerals between 1 and 60 to indicate the minutes of anhour, and having spaced studs 44 at the end opposite the segment 43 proportioned and positioned to engage within holes 45 formed in thecylinder 14 upon opposite sides of the numerals. plate 42 is fulcrumed apointer 46 in any approved manner as by the rivet 47 and provided at itslower end with a notch 48 formed in the small segment 49 and positionedto engage over either of the pointers 22 and 23 and to move the saidpointers therewith when the pointer 46 is moved angularly upon its pivot47 to any of the numerals indicated upon the segment 43. By theemployment of the device shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the pointers may be setwith a very considerable. degree of nicety so that the alarm will besounded at any predetermined minute of the twentyfour hours.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the class described, a rotatingcylinder, electrical contacts adjacent the cylinder, a pointer mountedand movable circumferentially upon the periphery of the cylinder, andcapable of engaging the contacts, and a signal in electrical connectionwith the contacts.

2. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder, spacedelectric contacts adjacent the periphery of the cylinder, diametricallydisposed connected pointers carried by and circumferentially movable inunison upon the cylinder, and capable of forming connection between thecontacts, and a signal in electrical connection with the contacts.

3. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder, electricalcontacts adjacent the cylinder, means carried by and movablecircumferentially upon the periphery of the cylinder and capable ofconnecting the contacts, a signal for electrical connection with thecontacts, and means to manually connect the contacts.

4. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder, spacedcontacts disposed adjacent the cylinder, a pointer carried and movablecircumferentially upon the periphery of the cylinder and capable offorming connection between the contacts, a signal in electricalconnection with the contacts, and means to manually move one contact outof the path of engagement with the pointer.

5. In a device of the class described, a 1'0- tatable cylinder, spacedelectrical contacts disposed adjacent the periphery of the cylin der, apointer carried by and circumferentially Upon the adjustable upon theperiphery of the cylinder, and capable of forming connection between thecontacts, a signal in electrical connection with the contacts, means tomake manual connection between the contacts, and'means manually operatedto move one of the contacts out of the path of engagement with theconnecting means.

6. In a device of the class described, a 1'0- tatable cylinder providedwith a circumferential furrow, a curved band disposed within theiurrow,pointers carried by the band and disposed diametrically opposite eachother, an electrical signal, and means disposed within the path of oneof the pointers, whereby the circuit of the signal is closed.

7. In a device of the class described, a cylinder provided with acircumferential furrow, a curved band disposed within the furrow,pointers carried by the band and spaced apart, electrical contactsdisposed adjacent the cylinder, and positioned in the path of one of thepointers, and an electrical signal in circuit with the contacts.

8. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder providedwith a circumferential series of numerals, a pointer mounted and movablecircumferentially upon the periphery of the cylinder, and means toposition the pointer relative to either one of the numerals.

9. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder providedwith a series of numerals in circumferential series, a pointer mountedand circumferentially movable upon the cylinder, a plate provided withmeans for engagement with the cylinder, and a lever carried by the plateand arranged to engage and position the pointer.

10. In a device of the class described, a cylinder provided with spacedopenings, a pointer adjustable relative to the circumference of thecylinder, a plate provided with spaced studs positioned to engage withinthe openings of the cylinder, a lever mounted upon the plate andprovided with means for engaging the pointer, and a scale carried by theplate and adjacent to the lever.

11. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder, spacedsprings disposed ad j acent the periphery of the cylinder, contiguouscontact teeth carried by the spaced springs, a pointer carried by thecylinder and positioned to contact with the contact teeth of bothsprings simultaneously, and an electrical signal in circuit with thespaced springs.

12. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder, spacedsprings mounted adjacent the cylinder, a means carried by the cylinderfor engaging both springs simul taneously, a signal in electricalconnection with the springs, and means to move one of the springs out ofoperative position.

13. In a device of the class described, a rotatable cylinder, spacedandinsulated springs & 877,501

mounted adjacent the cylinder, means can i In testimony whereof he hasaffiXed his ried by the cylinder for engaging both plates 1 signature inpresence of tWo Witnesses.

and forming electrical connection, a signal CHARLES GOLDSMITH inelectrical connection with the insulated plates, and a plunger engagingone of said Witnesses:

plates, and capable of moving said plate'out ISABEL M. STRONG,

of operative position. CAR-LE WHITEHEAD.

